A Mermaid's Journey
by TheChanMan
Summary: A much darker version of The Little Mermaid. Not everything is all cookies and cream you know.
1. Default Chapter

A/N: Hm…what can I say about this fanfic? It's something to work on until Dateless gets back up on its feet. After 8 chapters it's kinda hard to keep it going, especially when I can't think of anything. Damn writers block. Anyway, this fanfic has been in my mind for a while, but I never found a plot for it until I watched The Little Mermaid for inspiration. This isn't really what you call a gut busting comedy but it is nonetheless. (With drama as the bread slices and peanut butter and jelly as the comedy. Get it?)

**_DISCLAIMER:_** I own no characters; it all belongs to Rumiko-sensei. The plot idea is similar to The Little Mermaid.

Without any more delays, I bring you Mermaids Journey.

Prologue: **_Crimson_**

Izayoi couldn't help but smile at her son's eagerness. He was the first one to finish packing and the first one to the door. Everyone in the castle who was going took their time to get ready. After all, they weren't leaving until the next day and her son had finished packing in two hours. Mind you, he was only 8 and thought a pair of pants and a shirt would last a month. Izayoi was going to make sure the servants packed her sons belongings properly and put in anything InuYasha had 'forgotten'.

But this entire "taking-time" thing made InuYasha even more impatient and God knows how impatient he can get. He ran around the castle and tried to help people get ready. He even helped Cook put all her cooking tools into her trunk even though she wasn't going with them. Izayoi was letting all the servants off for vacation while they were gone. InuYasha wasn't what you would call an average 8 year old. A half-demon with snowy hair and cute fluffy dog ears. Striking amber eyes and sharp fangs and claws that needed trimming every week. And like any 8 year old, he was oblivious to most dangers around him and would help anyone even asked to or not. He was as innocent and kind as they came. There were times where he would throw temper tantrums that were beyond anyone's control and he'd cry at the top of his lungs until he got his way. He was considered spoiled but that's how princes grew right?

"Hurry up! Let's go!" InuYasha demanded as he pushes his father's legs to get him to move.

"InuYasha! Slow down! We're not leaving until tomorrow!" his father, who he called Inu-papa, laughed. He stood his ground and wouldn't move even with all of InuYasha's weight pushing him from behind. His son groaned with effort as he tried to make the full grown dog demon lord budge. "Inu-Papa!" InuYasha whined.

Izayoi laughed lightly as InuYasha whined as she watched from the entrance of her room. She backed into her room and turned around and walked over to her king sized bed where her servant was packing Izayoi's belongings.

Her servant, 8 months pregnant, willingly packed Izayoi's belongings. She neatly folded blankets placed them into a trunk. She gingerly folded her elegant clothes and placed them in a separate trunk. Izayoi watched in some fascination. She used to do things that her servant did, but when she met InuTaisho, things changed and before she knew it she was married and her normal life faded away. She wanted to do the packing. "Servant, please, take the rest of the year off; for your baby's sake," Izayoi said with a warm smile. Izayoi was very kind hearted to her servants and had allowed her servant to live her normal life when ever she wasn't needed. She had continued her relation ship with her lover and ended up marrying him. This was their second child.

The servant continued to pack. "I will not; not until you leave on that ship. I will serve you whilst I am alive on well," the servant said with honor. She winced when stood up to face Izayoi. Her back and ankles ached.

"You are fatigued. Please, I will do the rest," Izayoi offered continuing where her servant left off. Knowing she couldn't argue with her, the servant sat on the bed and watched.

Izayoi smiled as she packed. "It is nice to actually do something than give you orders to follow."

The servant was surprised. "But my Lady! It isn't right for you to do work!"

"It is alright with me; I don't mind. You have served me for as long as I can remember. You deserve a well earned break and payment."

"Oh my Lady, my husband-." The servant began but was at a loss of words from joy.

"Your husband will be glad to see you and with the payment you will be receiving your new family won't be going hungry."

At this, the servant began to cry from joy. This was her biggest and only payment from this family. From the Lord and Lady of the west too! Izayoi let her thank her and cry as she packed.

"Mother! Mother!" InuYasha ran into the room with the biggest of smiles. He practically pranced across the wooden floor as he made his way to his mother and tugged on her arm. "Is it true? Kikyou's really coming with us?" As he asked, a timid looking girl quietly walked in. She was shy looking and sucked her thumb, a habit she did when she was scared or nervous. In her arms she held a teddy bear, tattered from all the hugs it endured. InuYasha still held onto his mothers arm and was dancing on the spot, he watched Kikyou walk over. When she got closer her lips curled in the tiniest of smiles. The opposite of InuYasha who's smile reached his eyes. She was a little shorter than InuYasha but was the same age.

Izayoi nodded answering InuYasha's question. This caused him to jump in joy. "Cool!" he tightly hugged his mother around the legs and then, for letting Kikyou come, he hugged the servant, Kikyou's mother. "Thank you!" InuYasha held Kikyou's hand and ran out the door. "Come on Kikyou; let's go help everyone get ready!"

When his laughter died down, the servant turned to Izayoi. "My Lady, why are you paying us such a hefty sum?"

Izayoi smile softened. "This may be our last night here."

"Oh? Why?"

"Anything can happen out at sea. I'd like to pay you in case anything happens."

"I can ensure you that Poseidon will be on your side and won't let anything happen to you."

"Poseidon…a god?" Izayoi asked in curiosity. "I have never heard of a god by that name."

The servant held a fist of her dress in her hand. No one had really asked her about her culture, talking about it reminded her of her home. "Poseidon is a Greek sea god. He controls the sea and everything in it."

"Our god isn't called a sea god but a water goddess. She controls the waters. Poseidon sounds like he is far stronger if he can control everything in the sea."

"Poseidon has what is called the Trident."

"Our water god has the Trident of Amakoi." Izayoi chortled. "It sounds like our world isn't that different." Her servant nodded in agreement. She looked out the window across the room. The sun was setting and the sea was crimson; it looked like blood.

A/N: How's that? Not really long but I promise other chapters will be longer. Oh, and if you're wondering what the servant's name is, you'll never find out. Know why? Because I don't know either. Lol.


	2. Surprises and Greed

A/N: Just finished the prologue and I still feel like typing so maybe chapter one will be up sooner than I thought. **_Dateless_** is still stuck where it is. Hopefully, this will help me think and I hope it'll be just as good as **_Dateless_** too. Be warned I know _nothing_ about ships or boats except that they make me sick.

**_DISCLAIMER:_** I own no characters in InuYasha and the plot idea is similar to The Little Mermaid.

Chapter One:**_ Surprises and Greed_**

The ceiling wasn't much help in InuYasha's situation. He was so excited he could barely sleep. So he stared at the ceiling hoping that maybe it would make him sleepy but it didn't work. It was just too interesting. He watched a spider run above him, he watched a house fly buzz around. And, to his amazement, he counted the ceiling beams without realizing it. Maybe he could walk around and tire himself out…

InuYasha kicked the covers off him and crawled out of bed. It was a little difficult since the bed was so high for him. He blamed his father's interest in western culture. He had western beds imported to his kingdom for those who wanted and could afford one. So, naturally, the castle got beds for everyone who lived in it. InuYasha quietly ran out of his room and slowed to walk in the hallway. It was empty besides a few guards who snoozed against the wall. Small torches lit the way, not that InuYasha really needed it. He had one thing on his mind and all he needed was his nose. He was heading for the kitchens.

He let his legs lead the way since they seemed to know where to go on their own. He walked in the shadows so the guards wouldn't see him and send him back up to bed. He was surprised to see the kitchen wasn't lit. Usually Cook was up getting things ready for breakfast. Maybe it wasn't as early in the morning as he hoped. To him, it felt like he had been in bed for hours. "Cook?" his voice rebounded off the walls but no one answered. "I'll have to get the food myself," InuYasha told himself as he headed to the counter to get any food that was left out.

He found a loaf of bread that was left on the cutting board. No one would notice it if it was gone would they? He picked it up and squinted at it. Rolling his eyes he flicked off the bugs that were crawling around on it before taking a bite out of it. Tasted stale but he ignored that and walked out of the kitchen, leaving bread crumbs in his wake. Still feeling wide awake InuYasha decided to walk around the entire castle; rather than heading up back to bed. Nearly all the servants had gone back home and wouldn't be back until false dawn. That meant Kikyou wasn't at the castle so now his plan on waking her and playing went out the open window. Munching on the loaf of bread, he looked at all the paintings on the walls. Just like the beds, his father had them imported. What was so special about a bunch of paintings anyway? And the people in them looked very weird to him. Especially their clothing. Skin tight pants and funny looking coats. And what were those sticks they carried that spewed smoke? Inu-Papa had talked about them to InuYasha before. He said they were coming over seas too. What were they called again? Muskets? Already by the name, InuYasha hated them. He would use a sword any day, not that he had touched one before let alone seen one. His father kept them out of InuYasha's sight; said they weren't a toy.

Scowling, InuYasha chewed a chunk of bread and spit it at the painting. It hit it with a satisfying splat and then fell to the floor. Grinning, InuYasha went back up to bed, swallowing the last bit of bread. _Now_ he felt tired. He yawned and made his way to his bed when a voice stopped him.

"You know, Cook won't like the fact that you had stolen a loaf of bread then spit it at the paintings. Come to think of it, your father won't like that either."

InuYasha turned around, knowing who would be standing there. One of the servants who actually lived in the castle; Miroku. He was leaning against the opposite wall. He was older than InuYasha, about 3 years older and he let InuYasha know that every time they met. InuYasha despised him for all he was worth. "She won't know," InuYasha glowered at him.

"Yes she will," Miroku uncrossed his arms and walked up to him. He was about a foot taller than InuYasha. His eyes were a deep violet, black in the lack of light in the room. He wore clothes worn from working in the kitchen with Cook. He had coals on him from feeding the fires and dirt from the gardens. "She'll find the piece of bread on the floor and her loaf missing. She'll connect the two and point at you," Miroku chuckled to himself. "Hey that rhymed."

"No she won't know if I don't tell her. She'll think it was a rat. And one of the servants will find it before she does. She only stays in the kitchens," said InuYasha. "Go away, I wanna sleep." He tried climbing into bed but he was too short. The stool he used was missing. Growling like a puppy, he turned his eyes at Miroku. Miroku was grinning and was holding the tiny stool up. "Looking for this?"

"Gimme back my stool!" InuYasha said hotly.

"What's the magic word?" Miroku said humorously. He loved picking on InuYasha.

"Gimme it back or I'll have Inu-Papa kick you out on the streets."

"Can't do that, he's the one who took me in the first place. And 'Mommy' won't allow it."

"Just give it back will you? I can't get into bed!" InuYasha tried jumping into bed but he couldn't jump that high yet.

"You know, because I like you, you can have it back," Miroku put the stool next to InuYasha.

"Keh," InuYasha put a foot onto the stool and made to get in but he felt Miroku put his hands under his arms and lift him up and tuck him in. "Hey!" InuYasha whined. "I can get tuck myself in you know!"

"You might want to be a lot quieter so you don't wake your parents," Miroku suggested as he folded the covers under InuYasha's sides. He ignored the glare he was getting and fluffed InuYasha's pillows. "There, all comfy?"

InuYasha growled in response. Miroku was InuYasha's servant. His least favorite one but his nonetheless.

Miroku looked at his handy work and smiled. "Aw, my best friend all grumpy?"

"Get out stupid," InuYasha would have pointed to the door but his arms were pinned to his side from the blankets. Sure Miroku considered InuYasha as his friend, but the hanyou didn't like him. He was nice but he had bad people skills and was very persuasive and could somehow talk him into doing anything. He told his mother once that Miroku had some sort of special brain power but she laughed that off. He glared at Miroku as he walked out of the room. And when he was out of sight InuYasha wriggled the best he could out of the blankets. He was glad Miroku wouldn't be coming along on the trip. He had the choice of which servant he wanted to bring. And quicker than he could blink an eye 'Kikyou' was the name that left his lips. Thinking of all the fun things he was going to do with Kikyou he fell asleep.

**_---------------The Next Morning----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_**

Something was poking him. Couldn't they see he was _trying_ to sleep? InuYasha ignored the repeated pokes and snuggled into his pillow. "InuYasha, wake up," his mother's voice whispered in his ear. He felt her hand on his shoulder so then who was poking him? "InuYasha," Izayoi repeated giving InuYasha a small shake.

"I don't wanna get up…" InuYasha mumbled into his pillow. The poking moved to his forehead.

"You don't want to get on the ship then?" Izayoi asked. "Okay…We'll see you in one month," she said disappointedly.

InuYasha opened his eyes then remembered that today was the day they were leaving. The poking was being done by Kikyou, but she was now following Izayoi out the door. InuYasha started to panic. "No!" he jumped out of bed and ran out after them. "No! I wanna come too!" he said quickly but his mother ignored him but Kikyou was giggling. "Mother!" InuYasha whined his eyes filling with tears as Izayoi slowly walked down the steps to the first floor. "Mother I wanna come too!" InuYasha repeated running to Izayoi's side and grabbing her free hand.

Izayoi laughed and squeezed her son's hand gently. "I wouldn't leave without my favorite son!" she stopped to bend down and kiss the top of InuYasha's head. He felt better but he was still a little panicked at the thought of his family and Kikyou leaving without him. When they were at the bottom of the stairs she let go InuYasha and Kikyou's hands. "Go with your father and wait with him," she instructed InuYasha who nodded vigorously and obeyed and trotted off, Kikyou in tow. Izayoi went back upstairs and went to her other son's room. She was going to see if he was up. She didn't knock on his door and walked right in. Her eldest son, Sesshoumaru, was still asleep in bed. "Sesshoumaru?" she whispered in his ear.

He stirred a little but didn't wake. Yet she knew that he could hear him. Sesshoumaru was 4 years older than InuYasha and was his half brother. She was his son only by marriage. Sesshoumaru belonged to InuTaisho's first wife but she left him after Sesshoumaru was born. "Are you sure you don't want to come with us?" Izayoi asked him. Sesshoumaru cracked one eye open and looked at her with a tired looking gold eye. He nodded into his pillow. Izayoi's face fell a little and she stood up and let him sleep. The servants would take care of him while they were gone. She silently walked out of the room and back downstairs. InuTaisho, InuYasha and Kikyou were waiting at the door. A few servants were moving their bags to the ship while others were saying their goodbyes. The rest of the servants had already said their goodbyes and left for their vacation.

"Well? Did he change his mind?" InuTaisho asked as Izayoi neared them. She shook her head sadly and stood next to him. InuTaisho didn't respond but placed his lips on her cheek for a few seconds.

InuYasha made a sound of disgust. "Ew, that's gross." Kikyou nodded in agreement. His parents laughed lightly and hugged both children.

Kikyou's mother was still at the castle and was going to be until the ship was out of sight. "Kikyou, dear," she carefully bent down on both knees next to Kikyou. Her daughter leaned into her mother's open arms and let her mother hug her close. "Be a good girl okay?" her mother said with a kiss. "Yes mama," Kikyou nodded and returned the kiss.

"Remember what I told you. Don't stay near the edge of the ship. Sleep content and not on a restless mind. Eat well and don't skip any meals," her mother listed a few things that made Kikyou blush in embarrassment. She nodded to each thing. Her mother finally let go of her and gave her one last kiss on the forehead. Her eyes were brimmed with tears.

Izayoi felt sorry for her servant. "You could come with us if you choose."

"I really want to but with the baby and all I can't," her servant politly declined the offer even though she wished to go to stay with Kikyou. She made to stand up again but her back ached. InuTaisho helped her up and when she was up straight he gave her tight but careful embrace. "We'll miss you while we're gone," he said letting go of her after she hugged him back. Izayoi hugged her next. "Yes, we will very much."

InuYasha clamped onto Kikyou's mother's legs and hugged her the best he could. "Bye," he said sadly. Kikyou burst into tears and hugged her mother again. "Bye mama!" she sobbed into her legs, making her mother cry too.

"You could always stay here Kikyou, you don't have to come with us," Izayoi offered but Kikyou shook her head, still crying.

"I wanna go with InuYasha!"

Kikyou's mother smiled. "Don't worry Kikyou; I'll see you in one month. And when you get back we can do something together, just the two of us." She stroked Kikyou's hair as she nodded into her leg. She gently pushed Kikyou and InuYasha off her. "Say goodbye to everyone else too."

InuYasha laid his eyes on Cook. Cook's eyes were filling with tears and ran over to her. "Bye Cook!" he said as Cook knelt down with her arms open. He jumped into her arms and she lifted him up. "Goodbye my bottomless pit," she said as she hugged him tightly. InuYasha hugged her around the neck looking over her shoulder to the other servants who were waving goodbye. He smiled and waved back. Cook held him so she could look at his face. "I will miss you," she kissed him. "Be a good boy and eat right."

InuYasha remembered the loaf of bread he had taken the night before. He couldn't leave knowing Cook didn't know about it. "I took a loaf of bread last night," he said apologetically. Cook chuckled and kissed him again and set him down. "I knew you did. And just between you and me, the food I leave out is for you." _Good, she's not mad at me._ InuYasha felt a lot better. He watched as Kikyou was picked up, kissed and hugged by Cook. He trotted over to the other servants and let them hug him goodbye.

Finally, he and Kikyou had said goodbye to all the servants and were about to walk out the door with Izayoi and InuTaisho. Izayoi turned and looked at InuYasha. "Did you say good bye to Miroku?" she asked. InuYasha shook his head no. He didn't want to. Not after what Miroku did to him the night before. "Well here's your chance, he's at the ship."

InuYasha looked over to the plank that allowed them to walk onto the ship. Miroku was standing at the edge looking into the water. "Do I have to?"

"Yes, say goodbye to him," InuTaisho instructed as they neared the plank. He gave InuYasha a small push on the back towards Miroku.

Miroku, having already heard the family behind him, turned around. "Hey InuYasha," he gave the grumbling hanyou a small wave as he stood next to him. "You really leaving now?" he skewed a glance at the ship. InuYasha nodded and looked at his parents through the corner of his eye. Miroku lowered his voice so only InuYasha could hear. "Your mom and dad said to tell me goodbye didn't they?" InuYasha nodded. "You know, since I like you, you don't have to."

InuYasha looked up at him. "Why do you always say you like me?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. "It sounds weird when a guy says it."

"Well if it wasn't for your dad I wouldn't be here. I could be but I wouldn't be working for your family. And if it wasn't for you, I wouldn't have someone to think of as a little brother."

"You think I'm your little brother? But what about your other family?"

"I don't have one. They all died a long time ago. An illness."

"Oh…" InuYasha looked at his parents, who were talking with the captain of the ship. InuYasha thought that his father was the captain…Kikyou was looking out into the water. He turned back and faced Miroku. "I guess I could say goodbye to you."

"That would be nice. Can I have a hug too?" Miroku held out his arms a little and smiled. InuYasha nodded and hugged him around the waist. "Bye Miroku," he said into his stomach but it was all muffled. Miroku ruffled his hair. "Yeah. Miss you."

InuYasha nodded into his stomach and let go. "I gotta go now; see you the next time I see you," with one last wave from InuYasha and a light punch on the arm from Miroku they said goodbye and InuYasha went back to him mom and dad. Kikyou waved goodbye to Miroku as she walked on the plank behind InuYasha. Miroku smiled and blew her a kiss and waved. "'Bye!" he called out to them and they waved back.

As soon as InuYasha set foot onto the deck he was so filled with excitement he couldn't contain it. With an enthusiastic 'whoop' he jumped up into the air and into his mother's arms. "We're going out to sea! We're going out to sea!"

Izayoi laughed and kissed her son on the cheek. "Yes, calm down or you'll fall over board," she said setting him down. Instead of calming down InuYasha scampered across deck and to the back of the ship where the Captain was telling crew men what to do. He put his hands on the wheel and was about to turn it when the captain gave him a sharp slap on the hand. "Go back t'your father," he said sharply. InuYasha stuck his tongue out at him and ran off. He wasn't going to let him ruin his fun. First thing on his mind was where they were going to sleep. He went back to his mother who was standing at the edge of the ship, waving goodbye as the ship set sail. He ignored all the orders being yelled through out the ship. "Mother, where are we sleeping?" InuYasha asked, tugging on the sleeve of her kimono.

"Below deck. When we get further out in sea I'll show you. Kikyou looks nervous," Izayoi looked at Kikyou who was standing in the middle of the deck sucking her thumb, a sure sign she was nervous. "Why don't you go assure her there's nothing to be worried about," she smiled down at InuYasha who nodded and let go of Izayoi's sleeve and quickly walked over to Kikyou.

"Kikyou why are you nervous?" he asked standing in front of her.

Kikyou's head was bowed as she sucked on her thumb. She looked at him without moving with big chocolate brown eyes and hugged her teddy bear even tighter. "I don't feel good…" she said quietly.

"Why?" InuYasha asked puzzled. "Aren't you happy that you get to spend time with me without working?"

"Yes…I just…don't feel good," Kikyou removed her thumb and rubbed her stomach. There was a low rumbling from it and her skin was pale.

"Uh-oh…" InuYasha's eyes went wide in realization. "Wanna get Mother?" he asked quickly as Kikyou swayed on her feet. The ship was pretty far from the dock and the waves were making the boat rock up an down. From the size it was, it was moving pretty fast. Kikyou nodded and let InuYasha lead her to Izayoi who was talking to InuTaisho. "Mother," he tugged on her sleeve again like he did before.

"Wait a moment InuYasha," Izayoi glanced down at her son then continued to talk to InuTaisho about nothing InuYasha understood.

"But Mother," InuYasha tried again tugging harder on Izayoi's kimono sleeve. "Kikyou doesn't feel good!" He looked at Kikyou who looked really grim and held her stomach. Her teddy bear was snuggled against the side of her face. Kikyou gave an almighty belch which got Izayoi and InuTaisho's attention. They stopped talking and looked down at her. InuYasha was looking at her with a smile. "That was really good," he commented. Kikyou sure didn't think so because she looked for the nearest bucket and ran to it, swaying on the way there and lost her breakfast. InuYasha's expression changed and he gulped. He couldn't stand the sound of someone else puking and he ran over to another bucket and saw it was filled with something so he hung his head over the edge of the boat and he also lost his breakfast.

"My goodness!" Izayoi rushed over to InuYasha and Kikyou, not sure who to attend to first and walked back and forth. She looked at InuTaisho for help and he briskly walked over to InuYasha and rubbed his back.

"It's alright son, you don't have your sea legs yet," he said rubbing his back telling him it was okay.

Izayoi was holding back Kikyou's hair and rubbed her back. "You should rest awhile…" she said quietly, kneeling next to her.

Kikyou was still as Izayoi rubbed her back. "I want Mama…" she sniffled as she sat on her hunches and rubbed her eyes. She looked up at Izayoi with teary eyes. She sniffled again and held up her arms, silently asking to be picked up. It was surprising how she was 8 years old and still acted like a 3 year old. Izayoi felt sorry for Kikyou as she picked her up and cuddle her, patting her back.

"Come on Kikyou, I'll take you to bed," Izayoi walked over to InuTaisho with some difficulty. The waves were choppy and crewman rushing about. "Inu-Chan," Using her free hand she touched his shoulder to get his attention. InuTaisho turned and looked at her over his shoulder. "Is InuYasha okay too? I'll take them to bed." She looked down at InuYasha who was now just straightening up. He looked peeved as he turned to look at them. He was in the act of wiping his mouth with his sleeve. Izayoi sighed and with her free hand she stopped him. "InuYasha don't do that." InuYasha complained in response.

"Don't bother; I'll take them below deck," InuTaisho offered his free arm to hold Kikyou. Izayoi carefully handed Kikyou over to him with a nod. She watched her husband walk over to a door next to the steps leading to the captain and walked in.

InuYasha was reluctant to going below deck. His stomach was feeling a lot better and he wanted to watch the water more. "I don't want to be in bed." He griped to his father.

"Son, stop being difficult," InuTaisho scolded lightly lifting InuYasha up so his toes barely touched the ground as he walked down the steps to their sleeping chambers.

"Keh," InuYasha pursed his lips when his feet finally touched the ground. "I'm not being difficult." InuTaisho gave him a stern look and led him to their bunks. He carefully set Kikyou onto the lowest bunk and InuYasha took his place next to her.

InuTaisho looked InuYasha straight in the eye without blinking. His son tried not to blink. "Stay here. Don't come up on deck until your mother comes to get you."

"Why?" the young hanyou asked averting his eyes to the floor to avoid the mind control parents were known for when they locked eyes on you.

"We'll be busy and we can't keep and eye on you. That's why."

"We can take care of ourselves," InuYasha said superciliously snapping his eyes back up to his dad who smirked.

"I'm sure you could but what about Kikyou?" InuTaisho looked over to Kikyou whose own eyes widened a bit now that the subject was changed to her.

"I-I'll be okay," Kikyou face went pink as The King and young prince looked at her. Her stomach growled and she gave a small groan and lied down onto her side and curled up. She hugged her tattered bear.

InuTaisho looked back to InuYasha who didn't take his eyes of his servant and friend. "See? She's not feeling well. If you stay with her until your mother comes she'll be all better and you two can come up. There's a surprise I think you'll like," he ruffled InuYasha's hair and kissed Kikyou's head. "Feel better soon. And with InuYasha with you I don't think that'll be a problem." InuTaisho got up off his knees and went back to his wife. InuYasha was growling as he tried to fix his hair so his ears wouldn't be covered. "Stupid; he messed up my mane." InuYasha grumbled incoherently to himself.

Kikyou lost interest in InuYasha's small problem and feeling slightly better, sat up and fiddled with her bear. "Don't make such a big deal out of it InuYasha," she said quietly.

"But I can't hear anything when my hair is over my ears," InuYasha tugged on his dog ears to get them to poke out of his silver white hair.

Kikyou silently got up and stood in front of InuYasha moving his hands away from his head and fixed it herself. When she finished she sat back on the bed and curled back up. "Are you going to be like that for the rest of the night?" InuYasha asked hoping she'd say no. He wanted to explore the room with her. There were boxes and strange looking objects everywhere in the room. Kikyou shook her head no into the blankets. "When you feel better do you wanna explore?" Kikyou again nodded into the blankets. InuYasha smiled and got up and went ahead of her to explore the nearest boxes.

"Kagome!" Sango looked for her younger sister as instructed by her mother. She wasn't in her bed chamber, or in the city circle. She wasn't in the market and she certainly wasn't around to hear Sango call her name. Kagome always got her self separated from her family and it was a pain just to find her. After all, everyone looked nearly the same given a few features. With a powerful kick of her dark green scaled tail, Sango zoomed off to the last place Kagome could possibly be.

A pair of yellow eyes gleamed with laughter as they watched Sango swim towards the tallest tower in the city. The owner of the eyes drifted into the shadows of the coral wall and swam off.

Sango stealthily swam up to the window into the tower, careful not to be seen by the guards. "Kagome!" Sango whispered as she looked around the single room of the tower. There wasn't much in the tower. A few boxes but Sango didn't know what filled them. But one thing caught her eye and she instantly swam towards it.

Merfolk were greedy creatures by nature. Anything that was worth anything and was particularly rare they took with an egotistical gleam in their eyes. Sango, who was seeking her sister, tossed Kagome aside and swam to the jewel that caught her eye. She had only been in the tower a few times and there was nothing interesting in it that she knew of. Kagome had found a way to get inside without getting caught although she didn't know what was inside either. But what caught Sango's eye was something new. It was in the back of the circular room and had a spot all of its own. Curiously, Sango studied it with a cautious eye. It was a necklace by the looks of it. A self-glowing pinkish marble hung on two nails in the wall. "Wow…" Sango let out a soft hiss between her teeth. Not sure what kind of jewel glew on its own, she reached out with one long finger tipped with a claw and poked the jewel which only slightly swung back at the action. She dashed to the tiny window she and her sister could only fit through she poked her head out and watched one guard swim by below her with a javelin. She dashed back to the jewel with one kick of her tail snatched the jewel and stuffed it into the small pouch that hung at her side and went to the window. "Eep!" she hid behind the closest box as one of the guards swam by and took a glance inside the room with bright yellow eyes. Sango didn't dare to move until a well few moments went by to make sure the guard was gone.

And it was a good thing she did because the next second the guards arm shot through the window and into a hole in the box she was hiding behind. It seemed like this guard knew exactly what he was doing. Sango watched as the guards webbed hand came out of the box with a handful of… "Gold…!" Sango let out another soft hiss as she tried her best not to snatch the gold out of the guard's hand. The hand quickly withdrew before Sango's own hand could grab it. Peering around the box she watched the guard's strong tail vanish from sight. Next thing she knew was that a rock was being jammed into the small window blocking her way out. Sango clicked her teeth angrily and looked around the room for another way out. There was no light in the room except from the jewel which still glew weakly through the pouch. But her eyes allowed her to see a little and she spotted a trap door in the middle of the room. She swam to it and opened it with a jerk and was about to swim into it but stopped. More guards were seen swimming in circles and as they passed each other they either jabbed their javelins at one another or gnashed their sharp teeth challenging them to fight. One guard slammed his tail at another sending a loud hiss of pain as the spike from the tail stuck in his side. Sango surely didn't want to try her luck by swimming down there to get out. She shut the door and found her back to the blocked window.

"How am I going to get out?" she asked quietly to herself so the guards outside wouldn't hear her. At least she now knew what the guards were for, something no one really knew about. And now, she had a small bit of treasure now that she had the jewel she knew nothing about only that it glew and was certainly worth something. She took it out to examine. It defiantly was a necklace and nothing else. At first she thought it was something to put on the end of her tail but it was too small to get over the fins. And it didn't untie or anything. She it held up to see it better. Well it lit the whole room at least. Taking a quick look at the window she put the jewel around her neck. And not like her long thick hair or her thin limbs, the jewel didn't hover. It hung heavily at her chest. "That's weird, it seems so light…" Sango said as she went to the nearest box and pulled it open. Gold and gems glittered with the dim light from the pink marble around her neck.

She looked down at the small pouch to determine how much gold she could put in it without it bulging and making it obvious she had a lot of it. She looked at the variety of gems. They were a lot prettier than the gold that's for sure. _What's in the other chests?_ Sango closed the chest and went to a newer looking one that didn't have so many barnacles on it and opened it. The gems in this chest were a lot cleaner than the other gems she found and so was the gold. She scoffed at the gold and took a few choice gems and put it in her pouch. She went back to the other chest to get her so far favorite gem which was a deep red by the looks of it and was shaped like a spear head.

_Maybe when I become a warrior I could use this as my weapon,_ Sango thought as she went to another chest and went through it. Taking what she could leaving the gold behind. She went back to the window and put her ear against it to listen for guards swimming by and all she could hear was the noise from the city below. She took the jewel off and stuffed it into her pouch. "…" she stared at the stone that blocked her way out. And, with determination wedged her claws around the edges and pulled on the stone. And in five minutes she wiggled the stone out. Luckily no guard saw the stone move and she poked her head out to check if any were coming. "About damn time," she whispered and quickly swam out and upward above the city.

Kagome watched Sango enter and leave the tower and swim up towards the surface. At first she really thought Sango was really heading towards the surface but Sango instead swam high enough that no one would notice her come back. "Where is she going?" Kagome asked no one in particular and pushed herself off the ground and towards Sango ignoring the few looks from passing Merfolk.

"Sango!" Kagome called to her sister who kept swimming off toward open water. With an angry kick of her tail Kagome got closer to her sister. "Hey! Why aren't you listening to me?" Kagome yelled as she used her webbed hands to move faster. Sango took a side ways glance at her younger sister and flashed her a yellow sharp toothed grin and kept swimming.

"Come on Sango! Where are you going?" Kagome swam faster to catch up and when she was close enough she was going to grab Sango's tail but she didn't have to because Sango abruptly stopped and turned around and hugged Kagome. "Hey!" Kagome snapped.

"Kagome look!" Sango let go and held up her pouch. Kagome gave her a quizzical look and if she had eyebrows, they'd be arched. "Did you know that inside the tower there was gold and gems?" Sango said with a large smile and opened the pouch so Kagome could see. Her reaction was exactly what Sango thought it would be.

"Wow! I want it!" Kagome exclaimed taking one jewel out.

"No!" Sango hissed and held the pouch to her chest. "I found them so I get to keep them!"

Kagome responded by gnashing her teeth. "I was going to ask for one gem and one piece of gold." Kagome tried to snatch the pouch away from her 8 year old sister.

"Only one of each but I didn't get any gold. I hate gold. I only got gems and jewels," Sango said still holding the pouch to her chest. "The rest is mine since I found it and picked them out myself," Sango cautiously extended the pouch towards her sister who didn't snatch it from her but looked inside.

"Can I have whichever one I want?" Kagome asked pulling out the deep red spear shaped gem Sango chose out specially. Sango didn't answer but gnashed her teeth loudly and Kagome took that as a no and put it back. "What about this?" she pulled out another one and got the same reaction. After 5 gems Kagome gave up on choosing one out for her self. "You pick one out for me then. As in a gift and I promise one day I'll return the gesture with a better one."

Sango regarded her a moment. "Fine. But don't let Mama see anything from this pouch or what I'm giving you," Sango warned as she looked through the pouch. "If anyone finds out that we got all of this they'll take it all back and might kill us for stealing. Here," she pulled out the necklace and held it up for Kagome. "I don't like it anyway."

Kagome took it and examined. "Why? It's really pretty," Kagome hung it around her neck. "And it even glows on its _own_," a smile spread across Kagome's face. The jewel really stuck out against Kagome's pale gray skin. She was surprised that Sango didn't snatch the necklace back. "You're really mature for your age."

"So are you. You didn't even attack me for the gems. And you are what? Only 7?" Sango closed the pouch and hung back at her hip. "Remember; don't let Mama see any of this." Kagome nodded and removed the necklace and held it tightly in her webbed hand.

They swam back to their coral home unnoticed by anyone.

"My Lord, where are your sons?" The captain of the ship approached InuTaisho who was leaning on the railing watching the water go by. "Surely they would enjoy it up here." InuTaisho rolled his shoulders and stood upright and pulled back his long silver hair out of his face. "Well? Where are they?" The captain asked in a slightly louder tone.

"It doesn't really matter to you now does it?" InuTaisho gave him a sarcastic smirk, already annoyed at the captain. "Why do you want to know?"

"No reason. Thought I'd show them around," The captain shrugged taking a glance around to spot InuYasha and Sesshoumaru. "So where are the little tykes?"

"InuYasha is the only one here. My other son didn't want to come along."

"Oh that's too bad," The captain sighed disappointedly giving him a false smile. "Well when Prince InuYasha comes up let me know," the captain bowed and walked away to some crewmen and started to talk to them. InuTaisho regarded him a moment before turning back to the water. He hadn't been out at sea since his father took him out and that was only a fishing trip in the far east. (that's near Hawaii I think.) Maybe this time he would see some of the creatures of legend his father talked about. Like the giant squid. InuTaisho had told InuYasha about it and InuYasha said he wanted to catch it and eat it. Or the loch ness monster in Scotland where ever that was, he still needed to figure out where that was. And ningyo. Now that was an old legend he heard a lot about. He particularly liked the myth if that you eat the flesh of a ningyo you gain youth and immortality. Of course none of that had ever been proven to date. Maybe InuYasha would like the tale. InuTaisho looked for his wife and spotted her standing by the door leading to where InuYasha and Kikyou. With a faint smile he went to her and hugged her. "What are you up to just standing here?" he looked at her.

"Just as you said. Standing here. I'm waiting for sunset to get InuYasha and Kikyou. And there is nothing for me to do," Izayoi folded her hands together into her kimono sleeves.

"Well you and I could have gone down to see them. They're probably bored to tears," InuTaisho opened the door to the stairwell. "Empress first." Izayoi nodded with a smile and went in ahead of him and waited for him to be next to her before taking his hand.

Kikyou was fast asleep on the bed curled up in a ball with her teddy bear as a pillow a gray blanket covered her up to her chin. Meanwhile, InuYasha was going through as many boxes as he could before his parents came to get him and Kikyou. Items were scattered across the floor and current box InuYasha was rummaging through was filled with toys. His mother must've packed this box for him and Kikyou. He pulled out a grayish rabbit with a missing eye and a chunk of its ear looked like it had been bitten off. But the rabbit looked like it had been repaired with black patching and brown stitching. He instantly knew who this rabbit was and who it had belonged to and he beamed at it. "Genki-chan!" InuYasha hugged the rabbit and ran to Kikyou's bedside. "Kikyou!" He held Genki-chan in one hand while the other shook Kikyou's shoulder. "Look who I found!" When Kikyou didn't respond InuYasha looked at Genki-chan and hugged it again.

Izayoi had made Genki-chan for InuYasha before he was born. Of course then, Genki-chan was white and turned gray with constant play. InuYasha had carried him everywhere and did everything with Genki-chan. But had lost him the night his father told him they were going on a trip. The trip they were on right now. He and Kikyou looked for Genki-chan everyday for Kikyou's bear's sake. The bear was Genki-chan's best friend. But they gave up after a while when packing got in the way. InuYasha held the rabbit up to admire it. His mother must've taken it to fix it and probably wanted to surprise him. Was this the surprise his father was talking about? But then why leave it in the box instead of hiding it in the folds of Izayoi's kimono? But whatever, InuYasha didn't care. He had Genki-chan back and all he wanted to do was stare at it. Soft footsteps stopped him and he looked over at the door as his parents quietly came through. The first thing they saw was InuYasha holding Genki-chan then the mess he left in around the room. "InuYasha!" Izayoi frowned at him as he put Genki-chan behind his back. "What have you been doing!" Izayoi instantly went around the room picking up things and putting them in random boxes.

"I wasn't doing anything. I was only looking around," InuYasha shrugged getting up with Genki-chan at his side. "I was exploring without leaving the room." InuYasha eye's followed his mother around the room as she cleaned up after him. InuTaisho just watched playing the husband part in "not knowing what to do when your child gets themselves in trouble."

InuYasha sat at Kikyou's feet while he watched his mother walk around the room, the hems of her 12 layered kimono sweeping the floor. InuYasha looked over to Kikyou who still slept peacefully, her hair spread out behind like a silky river of ink. "InuYasha!" Izayoi's voice snapped at InuYasha's ears and snapped his head towards her. "Did you hear me? Hurry and clean yourself up. You are all grubby," Izayoi knelt in front of her son and wiped his face off with her sleeve.

InuYasha shook his head while glaring at his mother's sleeve. "You said not to wipe your face with your clothes."

Izayoi disregarded this. "I told you to clean yourself up and wake up Kikyou. Don't you want to see the surprise?" her mood changed and she put on a smile and stood up. She looked at InuTaisho and her smile broadened. She knew what the surprise was but she had never seen it before. This was something she was looking forward to ever since her husband told her about it. At first she was wary about it but when he explained it to her better she was excited to see it. If she was this excited about the surprise she couldn't imagine how InuYasha would react to it.

"Izayoi I'll be up on deck," InuTaisho went back upstairs.

Izayoi looked down at Kikyou who had one eye cracked open. "What's going on?" she asked groggily, sitting up holding her bear to her chest. "Are we back home?" she looked at InuYasha who gave her a perplexed look and slowly shook his head no. Kikyou looked up at Izayoi. "I'm hungry, can I eat something?" Her stomach rumbled loudly over the creaking of the ship.

"I'm really hungry." So they could tell. InuYasha stuffed Genki-chan's head into his mouth to stop from laughing and Izayoi could only smile. And from this action Kikyou finally noticed Genki-chan's return. "Genki-chan!" she beamed at the rabbit and held out her bear. "Look Tomo-chan, Genki-chan has returned!" she held Tomo-chan so she could see Genki-chan better. Tomo-chan's head only flopped forward. InuYasha laughed harder, choking on the rabbit's ear. "InuYasha!" Kikyou gasped as InuYasha coughed.

Izayoi stopped giggling and yanked the rabbit out of the young hanyou's mouth. "InuYasha what have I told you about sticking things in your mouth?" Izayoi scolded him lightly shaking the rabbit at him. InuYasha snatched the rabbit back without saying anything.

Kikyou snuggled her bear. "Is it time for the surprise?" she asked looking at Izayoi. The Empress nodded and picked her up and held out her hand for InuYasha to take, which he did and followed her at her heels and tried his best not to step on her elaborate kimono.

Up on deck the sun was already setting. InuYasha let go of his mother's hand and ran to the middle of the deck and stretched, breathing in the sea air. "Hmm…! Wow! How long have we been out here?" InuYasha asked his mother who set Kikyou down.

"All day InuYasha," Izayoi breathed in the air too and looked up at the sky. Red, orange, and the clouds were pink and purple. Beautiful. "Now calm down or you'll fall over board." Izayoi followed the now timid again Kikyou to InuYasha.

"How can I fall over board when I'm right here away from the edge?" InuYasha asked pointing to the edge. At this moment the boat jumped a bit, but enough to make InuYasha stagger. "Ah!" He threw his arms up in the air to catch his balance. Kikyou gasped and fell into InuYasha's chest. Izayoi balanced herself. InuYasha looked down at Kikyou who clung to his haori. "You alright?" InuYasha asked his hands on her shoulders. Kikyou nodded and looked up at him.

The captain approached InuYasha and Kikyou with InuTaisho. "Ah, young love! An arranged marriage, eh?" The captain chuckled.

Izayoi looked at InuYasha and Kikyou. Her son, the young hanyou prince InuYasha had no idea what he was talking about but he took it as a negative and hugged Kikyou tighter and stuck his tongue out at the captain. "Drown you stupid head!"

"…?" Kikyou blushed at InuYasha's embrace, a common reaction when ever she was held like that. "What's an arranged marriage?" she asked her friend who only shrugged but didn't stop sticking his tongue out at the captain. She looked at Izayoi who didn't say anything but leave a soft blush. She looked at InuTaisho who was giving the captain a stern look.

"Your faces tell the truth," the captain chuckled as he walked off. "The surprise starts in a few moments!"

"What's an arranged marriage?" Kikyou asked again as InuYasha let go of her. "Is that a bad thing?"

Izayoi shook her head. "No. Not really."

InuYasha keh'd. "I don't like it. The old man's a butt munch," he crossed his arms. "and where's the surprise?"

InuTaisho chuckled. "Right over here I think," he took Kikyou and InuYasha's hands and led them to the left side of the ship and pointed into the now darkened sky. Izayoi stood between InuYasha and her husband, linking her arm with his.

InuYasha in the meantime strained his eyes. "I don't see anything Inu-Papa," he whined looking at his dad. When he didn't say anything he resumed looking out at sea for anything. He spotted two considerably large boats moving away from the ship. "Who are they?" he pointed to the boat and the men inside it.

"You will see," said Izayoi.

"…" InuYasha watched the boats move farther away. He heard felt Kikyou move uncomfortably beside him and she moved closer to him, her hand locked on his while the other hand held Tomo-chan as she sucked on her thumb.

"Drop anchor!" a voice yelled through the night, recognizable as the captain's. A splash was heard and the sound of moving chain's echoed. And the ship slowed down to a stop with a small jerk that made Kikyou whimper and squeeze InuYasha's hand.

"Nothing's wrong," InuYasha whispered to her. Kikyou nodded but didn't let go of InuYasha's hand and pull out her thumb. The next second a light shot up into the air and exploded giving the sound of a cannon, not that InuYasha knew what a cannon was. Kikyou screamed and buried her face into InuYasha's shoulder as a purple light filled the sky. InuYasha didn't seem to notice as he watched the light fade in a few seconds. "Wow! What was that?"

InuTaisho was laughing. "A friend of mine from the main land gave these to me! They're called fireworks as far as I know!" he laughed as another firework shot up into the air.

"Kikyou look! There's nothing to be afraid of!" InuYasha tried to get Kikyou to look at the green light before it disappeared but she didn't move. Another one went up and it was red.

"Inu-Chan, how did your friend make these…fireworks?" Izayoi asked; her eyes watched the red sparks fade.

"Not sure. These were supposed to be a new weapon but it failed. And my friend discovered that he could make it end with different properties. Right now he only knows about the colors," InuTaisho explained. Izayoi watched another green firework go up.

"Come on Kikyou, nothing bad is happening," InuYasha lowered his voice so Kikyou could only hear him. This always seemed to calm her. "Trust me."

This got the reaction he was hoping for. Kikyou warily lifted her face from InuYasha's shoulder and looked up in time to see a fresh firework reveal its purple light. Slowly, she smiled. "What is it…?"

"I don't know but whatever it is I like it," InuYasha shrugged forgetting Kikyou's hand still held his.

Kikyou didn't hide again when another went up. She shivered as a breeze came through and she stood closer to InuYasha. "I feel funny," she giggled as InuYasha automatically took his hand away from Kikyou and put his arm around her shoulder, his red sleeve acted as a blanket to her.

"I feel funny too," InuYasha briefly looked at Kikyou then back up at the sky. He looked up to his mom who disappeared along with his dad. "…?" he looked around and spotted them still at the same side of the ship but now standing farther away. "Guess I can say how I'm feeling now huh?" he looked at Kikyou who tried to hide her blushing face.

"Well how do you feel?"

"My chest feels funny. Kikyou?"

"Yes?"

"Can I hug you?"

"Why are you asking? You always hug me," Kikyou blushed deeper. "I feel older."

"So do I. I think that's why I wanna hug you," InuYasha looked up at the sky then down at Kikyou.

She nodded as InuYasha held her close, the same way he held her when he caught her before she fell. Kikyou took her thumb out of her mouth and hugged him back. "Can I tell you something?" Kikyou asked, losing her usual shyness. InuYasha nodded. "I think I like you."

"Like me? Don't you already like me?"

"Yes. But I mean the way My Lord and Lady like each other," Kikyou explained. Of course she didn't know what she was talking about but it had something to do with it. Izayoi and InuTaisho often held each other the way she and InuYasha were hugging, and they sometimes held hands or kissed each other on the cheek or lips. Kikyou sometimes thought of having a life like that with InuYasha. He was her closest friend.

"…" InuYasha faintly smiled into Kikyou's hair. "I think I like you too then." He pulled away from her blushing but still had his arms around her.

Kikyou blushed deeper than him and turned back to watching the fireworks. "Well…when I out grow you and when you need a new servant, you promise to stay with me? Forever?"

"Yeah," InuYasha put his arm around her again when she shivered. "Forever's forever right?"

"Yes."

"Then yeah, I'll stay with you forever."

And thus began a relationship that had no idea what love was.

A/N: Is it good? It's a little boring but it's only the first chapter so nothing's happened yet. I find it cute that InuYasha and Kikyou are together, even if they are only 8 years old. Sorry if they're a little mature for their age but InuYasha _is_ a prince and was raised like that along with Kikyou who's lived in the castle her whole life. Now, Kagome and Sango is a different story. Explanations come later. I hope you liked this!

Japanese used:

**_Ningyo:_** basically "mermaid"

**_Genki:_** take the chan off and you get Genki. (duh.) it means energy.

I think that was all the Japanese (other than names) I used…oh well. Ja ne!


	3. Author's Note READ ME!

An Important Author's Note….

Yeah, yeah, I know. I haven't updated in ages. I thought I'd at least have a few chapters up but turns out I don't. Just to let you know **_A Mermaid's Journey_** hasn't been dropped. The fanfic is still going. Chapter 3 is almost finished but I still have to type it up. I'm such a slow typer when it comes to putting something on paper to computer. Also, I've been working on **_Spirit of the Moonlight_**. I've been re-writing it since I didn't like how the old version was going. Anyway…just letting you know.

TheChanMan


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